PAGE 1 THE BOSTON SUN If you are looking to get in contact withJULY our staff16, or2020 outdoor dining surges on newbury street any info related to the Boston Sun please call 781-485-0588 or contact us via email. READ ALL ABOUT IT ON PAGE 8 Email addresses are listed on the editorial page. THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY SERVING BACK BAY - SOUTH END - FENWAY - KENMORE Pine Street, Roundhouse Hotel to USES EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM REOPENS open homeless shelter at Mass/Cass day. rooms at the hotel – which they Agreement shocks When the news leaked out on have leased for one year. The cli- Friday, neighborhood groups in ents are being transferred from a neighbors, some the South End quickly began meet- Suffolk University dorm they have in City Hall ing to digest the shocking infor- been in since the pandemic hit mation and figure out what to do. the homeless population hard in By Seth Daniel Several neighborhood groups put April and the City moved fast to together quick meetings to analyze find alternative housing in empty By Monday morning, tables, the shock factor of adding a home- dorms across the City. To socially lamps and other hotel amenities less shelter in place of a hotel in an distance its population, Pine Street were being taken out the front area that wasn’t supposed to get had used the Suffolk dorm, but door of the Best Western Round- any more human services – period. Downie said they have to be out by house Hotel on Mass/Cass in the The period has been replaced the end of July – and their choices South End to make way for a con- with a comma, though, as Pine came down to the Roundhouse or troversial new homeless shelter, Street Director Lyndia Downie nothing. but many in the neighborhood – this week said they are moving “This is a decision between two and some in City Hall – had just forward and will transfer approx- found out about the plan last Fri- imately 180 individuals into 92 (PINE STREET INN, Pg. 4) SAX SERENADES ON BOYLSTON Vacation cancelled? Take a trip to the COURTESY PHOTOS Public Garden instead The United South End Settlements (USES) Early Childhood Education program and the Club48 program re-opened this week for summer By Lauren Bennett activities after having closed in March due to COVID-19 restrictions. Kids and staff at USES were excited to be back with friends and teach- The Boston Public Garden is ers for some ‘normalcy.’ All over the City, as Phase 3 rolled out, new known for being a place to relax, activities like youth sports and summer camps were allowed. unwind, and enjoy nature, and this summer, be sure to stop and smell the hibiscus. For more than 100 years, city Community advocates for fair tree gardeners have prided themselves on ornamental planting displays removal in Phase Two of Muddy for people to enjoy on strolls through the park. River Restoration Project “Visiting the seasonal floral dis- plays are more than a photo op— By Lauren Bennett erett Pond to Boylston Street in they are a civic tradition,” accord- both Boston and Brookline, and ing to a 2019 article on the Friends The Muddy River Restoration includes dredging, excavation of of the Public Garden’s website. Project Maintenance and Man- the sandbar and island at Leverett “Exotic” plants like palm and agement Oversight Committee Pond, removal of phragmites, and banana trees were introduced to (MMOC) held a virtual public restoration of the shoreline. the Garden by William Doogue, meeting on June 30, where they A portion of Phase Two includes who was in charge of the Public provided information to the public the removal of 123 trees over the Garden from 1878 to 1906, the about Phase Two of construction more than three mile long stretch Jonte Samuel worked hard for his music last week on Boylston Street, article states. for the Muddy River Restoration of land that makes up the project where he played his saxophone despite the hot and humid temperatures. “Confident of his credentials, Project. area, US Army Corps of Engineers Coming from St. John, USVI, he said the heat doesn’t bother him. He Doogue wanted nothing less than Phase One of the project includ- Project Manager Jennifer Flana- came to Boston 10 years ago, and frequently can be found playing on to make the Public Garden a show ed the daylighting of the Muddy gan said at the public meeting. Boylston Street. Of note, he can play from memory about 20 national piece of the city,” it continued. River in the area near Emman- This news has left Caroline Reeves anthems from various countries – something that’s a big hit with tourists uel College. Phase Two consists during normal summer visiting season. (PUBLIC GARDEN, Pg. 6) of work in the area between Lev- (MUDDY RIVER, Pg. 3) PAGE 2 THE BOSTON SUN JULY 16, 2020 editorial WHEN DID THE U.S. GO FROM FIRST TO WORST? For those of us of the Baby Boom generation, it was unquestionable that the United States was “the best” country in the world. Despite the war in Vietnam, Watergate, recessions, 9/11, and other setbacks, America continued to be a global leader in just about every aspect of world affairs. Basically, there was the U.S. -- and then there was everybody else. American exceptionalism was taken for granted (even if in truth we often were not all that exceptional). However, the coronavirus has pulled back the curtain and exposed us for what we have become -- a nation that ranks among the worst by many metrics. Compared to our supposed peers in Western Europe and Asia, our response to the pandemic has been pathetic. COVID-19 death rates per capita in Western Europe are only a 10th of the death rate in the U.S. And while theirs are falling, ours is rising. Consider these additional facts: How can it be that we have 4% of the world’s population, but we have 25% of the deaths from COVID-19? How can it be that four months into the pandemic, we still do not have enough PPE (personal protective equipment) for our hospital and other front line workers? How can it be that some of our states have more new cases of COVID- 19 than entire countries? ZBA approves takeout for How can it be that not only is the amount of our testing still woefully inadequate, but that our labs are so backed up that it is taking 5-7 days to get results -- which all but makes the testing useless because results Greystone Cafe Bakery and Provisions need to be made available within 24-48 hours? Staff report Gannon said at the Zoning Board said that there were no concerns COVID-19 has revealed us to be the equivalent of a so-called Third of Appeal (ZBA) virtual hearing about the proposal, and ZBA staff World country. Greystone Cafe Bakery and on July 14 that she is seeing to noted that they had received 10 To put it simply, we have devolved from being a global leader to that Provisions, which is co-owned remove the proviso granting take- letters of support. Councilor Flynn of a global laggard with the result that thousands of Americans are get- by Jacqueline Gannon, is set to out accessory use to the previous was also in support of the project. ting sick and dying and our economy remains in tatters -- and with no open at 75-77 Dartmouth St. on owner, and have it granted to the The ZBA granted the take-out end in sight. the corner of Appleton and Dart- new cafe. proviso to the applicant, noting mouth Streets. The space was She said that as a previous that it will again be for this appli- NAME CHANGE WAS A previously occupied by Appleton employee of Appleton Cafe, she cant only, and any other applicant Bakery Cafe. has experience with takeout “in who wishes to offer take out at LONG TIME COMING There will be minor interi- that particular space.” this location must come before the The decision this week by the Washington Redskins to change its team or renovations to the space, but Faisa Sharif from the Mayor’s ZBA for separate approval. name was long, long, LONG overdue. Office of Neighborhood Services The term “redskin” is -- and always has been -- a racist reference to Native Americans. For anyone who doubts that notion, just think about all of the western movies that have permeated our culture for almost 100 years. When the Bok navigates uncharted terrain during first term “It was a very challenging pro- vide input during the process, and hero would say something like, “Let’s kill all of those thievin’ redskins,” By Dan Murphy (or something similar), the use of the term “redskin” was meant to dehu- cess because first, we had to deal which looks at the current budget manize Native Americans. When Kenzie Bok was sworn in with declining revenues because as it pertains to last year’s budget, It certainly was not a complimentary term. for her first term as District 8 City of the pandemic,” Councilor Bok zero-base budgeting follows an We should point out that the obnoxious and arrogant owner of the Councilor on Jan. 5, she never said, “and as the pandemic wore example set by the federal govern- Washington football team for years has ridiculed any suggestion that he could have imagined what the fol- on, the situation around the bud- ment in which a smaller group of change the team’s name.